Imagine winding the hour hand of a clock back from 3 o’clock to noon. Mathematicians have long known how to describe this rotation as a simple multiplication: A number representing the initial ...

The use of the letter x as a mathematical unknown is a relatively modern convention. Algebra has been around for a lot longer. Daryl Benson/Stockbyte via Getty Images You might be most familiar with x ...

The study of Gorenstein algebras has emerged as a cornerstone of modern algebra, offering a powerful paradigm in which duality and symmetry in module theory can be rigorously examined. These algebras ...

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Surprise: You can answer this question with modern algebra. Most folks who have been ...